DETROIT – A video of a rough arrest on East State Fair Avenue has prompted a response from the Detroit Police Department.
The video captured officers arresting a man who was reportedly trying to get into his own car after locking his keys inside.
The victim’s family said police had no right to do what they did.
“They banging his head up against the brick wall. I’m thinking it’s family or something,” said Tom Lee. “I said, ‘Nah, this is police,’ I said, ‘What y’all doing, man?’”
“My nephew was hollering and couldn’t breathe and I said lord you see he can’t breathe,” said Chicquita Williams. “I started thinking about when they killed that other boy.”
Police reportedly saw the young man trying to break into his own car after locking his keys inside. The keys were still in the ignition.
“If this man was breaking into the car in broad daylight, why are 20 people out here? 20 people out here to be his witness and they told him, ‘No, that’s his own car. That’s his own vehicle,’” recalled Denzell Williams.
Instead of de-escalation, the opposite happened and things turned chaotic.
“They pushed my aunt down. They need to be prosecuted. My uncle got Parkinson’s. He was also pushed down,” Williams said. “My grandma was also on the porch. Everybody around was maced.”
The victim is still recovering from multiple wounds both mentally and physically.
“Man, he’s not doing well. They beat him. They beat him bad,” said Jason Price. “He thinks it’s January and look what month it is -- September.”
The man was arrested and released several hours later with all charges dropped.
The Detroit Police Department said they are looking into the arrest.